Items 12A, B, and C on the April 30, 2013 city council agenda deal with construction activities after hours.
Noise levels, grading (heavy equipment earth movers), vibration, and general construction activities have been regulated in the past. What is new here is that the contractor must get a permit. If you like big government and restrictive development this is a good idea. Well, in this case the permit is only $72.00 so government will not be getting much bigger.
Why the trouble?
From what I can see in the old ordinances there were ways for a contractor to get permission to operate like this after hours. What could not be done easily was to waive the restrictions if the property was within 300 feet of property that had residential zoning.
Let’s see, where could that be? The new ball park of course.
What’s done is done.
The residents around the ball park will have major changes in their lives. In all probability their real estate will become the target of developers who want to take advantage of proximity to the new facility. Most of the buildings are rented out to multiple tenants. They are apartments. Even if I am wrong and the buildings are not sold the residents will see crowds, traffic congestion, noise, lights and other new conditions even into the evening hours.
El Paso has committed to building the ball park and getting it done on time. I suspect that most of those who were opposed to building it on top of the old city hall now realize that further objection is pointless. To me if construction has to go on at night and on weekends in order to meet the schedule it will be a necessary evil.
Why hide?
It seems to me that this current bunch down at the new city halls would rather hide the truth than tell it. It seems like it has become a game to them.
That is why I have an inherent distrust for what they say.
We deserve better
Brutus
elpasospeak 